18.10.06

After many unsuccessful attempts at collecting Cleome seeds I discovered a little trick. I'd go out and pull what to me looked like a ripe seed pod only to discover that the seeds were still white inside. What I found was that if you take a seed pod in your thumb and forefinger and gently squeeze if the pod is ripe it will start to split. If you apply pressure and it doesn't split in your fingers the pod should be left and checked later.

****

While looking for places to dry seeds I had collected I ran out of paper plates and used an envelope from some junk mail I had received. The envelopes worked great because I could set many of them in one spot side by side and because they are made of paper they absorb the excess moisture on your seeds or seed pods. When the seeds are dried you can take the paper envelopes and compost them.

CHICAGO-It's like a scene from a peaceful meadow: Where wildflowers bloom and the bees are busy. But to reach this slice of Eden, one doesn't travel out of town, one travels up, 12 stories up.

"I talked about building a green roof," says Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, "and everybody kind of looked at me whether or not I kind of lost it, ha ha ha."

But the crazy idea is paying off. Since Chicago installed a 20,000 square foot "green roof" atop City Hall five years ago, the city has saved about $25,000 in energy costs.(full story and video at link)

Da Mayor is getting some positive press for one of his green initiatives. Say what you will about him and the goings on at City Hall but you have to love what he's done to make the city greener. Too bad the only time I get to see this roof top garden is on television.

17.10.06

The city's palm trees-as much a symbol of L.A as the automobile, movie stars and the beach-are vanishing. The Trees are dying of old age and fungal disease, disappearing one by one from parks and streets, and city planners are replacing them with oaks, sycamores and other species that are actually native to Los Angeles and offer more shade, too.(full story at link)